Pure Dirty Intentions

Chapter 7

8 years ago....

"What did I tell you about wearing a short skirt, Catalina?!" my mom yelled at me.

I sobbed and hid my legs in my hands. "I'm sorry, mommy." I said.

I groaned when she hit me with a ruler behind my knees. I remain standing still and ease the pain that I'm feeling right now. My mom doesn't want me to give in, she wants me to accept my pain because it was my own fault. I thought my mom was in city hall with dad but I'm surprised when she's here.

My dad is a mayor in a little town of our province while my mom is helping him in the town hall. My mom doesn't want me to wear some showy clothes.

"I told you before, right?! I said I don't want you to wear that kind of clothes but you dare to disobey your mother!" she said and continued hitting me behind the knees.

I continued crying and sobbing but I kept my mouth shut.

I'm not supposed to wear this thing but my brother's girlfriend wants me to wear it. Her name is Alexis, Aeros girlfriend. And Aeros Duce Aragon Zuarez is my older brother. I want to tell my mom that it's half Alexis' fault but my brother will get more angry about me.

My brother and I haven't really been on good terms since when I'm 9 years old. Aeros and I have been very close since then but when I turned 9 it changed everything. He treats me like nobody when mom and dad are not looking but his girlfriend knows.

"Andrea! Stop hurting our princess!" a loud voice that made my mom stop.

I looked at dad who's hurriedly walking at us. He stood in front of me and made my mom step back a little. My dad loves me more than else does. He's my first love above all the boys who courted me and other than Joseph.

"Luicito! Stop comforting her! You're making her a bratty child!" my mom yelled that made me startled.

I'm not a brat mom.

Dad turned his face dark,turned his gaze to mom and yelled at her. "No, Andrea! You should stop this! This is not the right thing to do when disciplining a child, you should know that!" and pointed a finger at mom.

My mom looked pissed off. She threw the ruler and looked at me angrily. That made me look below. They're fighting because of me. They always fight because of me!

"You don't have the right to say that, Luicito! I know what's good for that kid. I'm her mother!"

"Yes you are! So act like a mother who loves her daughter without disciplining her that way!"

I closed my eyes. "Please stop fighting." I said and opened my eyes. My mom and dad turned their gaze on me. I looked at my dad "Dad it's my fault. I disobey my mom and it's not the proper thing to do as her child, your child too." Dad's face softened and I looked at my mom. "Mom I'm sorry, I will not wear this kind of clothes again. I promise."

My dad looked at me and caressed my face. "We're not fighting, princess."

I giggled. "Dad, I'm seventeen years old already and remember I'm the accelerated child of the mayor?" my father smiled. "Don't fight mommy, I'm the one who made a mistake. Mother just disciplined my actions and please dad set on your mind that every mother in this world has different ways to show that she cares for her child or children." I said that my dad hugged me very tight.

I smiled and hugged him back.

My father broke our hug and turned around to face mom. "See that, Andrea? Our princess is grown up now." and turned his gaze at me again and winked at me that made me giggle.

"Catalina, don't ever wear that again, understood?" I shyly nodded. "Who told you to wear that? I know you Catalina, you can't disobey my orders, unless someone told you to do it."

I freeze at the spot.

I looked away. "Nobody mommy, I'm just curious that's all."

She stared at me for a while and nodded. "Curiosity kills, Catalina. Remember that." I nodded.

My mom sighed and turned her gaze to dad. "You! Why are you here? You're supposedly in the town hall!" she yelled at him.

My father stood up and walked towards my mom and he hugged her. "Sweetie you're so hot today, can you please chill. Or let me cool you off hmm?" he said and snuggled at my mom's neck.

I shake my head, geez there's a child here.

My parents are so much in love together they're inseparable. Even though they're fighting because of me they always know how to get in love after the fight. One of Aeros is angry about me, I'm the one who makes trouble here.

My dad is known for being a lovable father to his children and a faithful husband too. Families here idolize our family and make us the perfect picture of a family. A father that is a mayor, a mother who supports her husband, a son that wants to be his father, and a daughter who's smart and a decent daughter.

But families always have dirty secrets.

Few weeks after that there's a small gathering in town hall, where the officials' family will gather and celebrate the town hall centennial year. And my father will announce that Aeros will run for the vice mayor of the town, next year at the age of 21. 4 years gap for being a sister to him but yet so widely far right now.

I'm in my room getting ready for the ball in the capital. I've dressed myself in a decent three quarters black dress one inch below my knees with a white collar on it. Yeah I look decent and clean but at the same time I think I will be attending a funeral not a party.

But my mom wants me to wear it.

I looked at myself in the mirror and smile. And practice my greetings, my mom give me lessons after class about things. Like table ettiquettes, how to stand, how to eat in manner, how to greet people and even how to smile at them properly.

"Hey come on! We'll be late! You're f*cking so slow! Hurry up, would you?!" my brother Aeros loudly said behind the door.

I rushly grabbed my things and hurriedly opened the door. I saw my brother irritated looking at me, I just smiled at him and he started walking away. I followed him but he stopped walking and that made me stop.

"Take Auntie's offer Catalina, go study in the city. It's better to go than staying here, I'll talk to dad to make you leave." he said that made my eyes burn.

"B-but--"

"You'll f*cking go, understand that Catalina? Don't disobey my order Catalina." he said deeply and walked out.

He never discussed it with me but right just now. Auntie Claire is my father's older sister. One day she visited us here and she offered me to study in the city because I'm an accelerated kid and she said that I will have a big opportunity there to be a teacher.

Being a teacher is what I always wanted me to be in the future. My mom wanted to be a teacher too when she was young but due to finances she couldn't afford it. I told myself when I was a kid I would pursue my mother's dream. And aside from that, I can't picture myself in any job.

My mom told me to go to the city but dad doesn't want to. He's the one holding me back and I thank him for that secretly. I just can't go without my family, I wanted to be where my family are.

I sighed and erased it in my head.

****

"Good evening too, Mrs. Nieves." I said and kissed her cheeks.

We are here at the capital and greet one another. It is fancy here and more classical music. I know classical music already. I was supposed to be at my fourth high school but I'm in college now, like eighteen girls should be.

On dad's side I get that trait but both of them think it's a gift from heaven and I thank them every day. My brother also has this trait too. Being accelerated is a different story from the novels that I read. Students at my school don't bully me because they know I'm the daughter of the mayor, that's why they don't dare to bully me.

One time there's this kid who bullied me but when my mom and dad found out, the kid dropped out of school and his family is not living here anymore, they said that my mom made them do it.

"Your daughter is so nice and pretty, Mrs. Zuarez. I wish I had a daughter like her." she said while caressing my face.

Well my skin is soft.

My mom smiled at the lady and said "I'm sorry Mrs. Nieves but my daughter is rare to have." she said and looked at me that made me smile.

The lady laughed and she nodded. "Oh yes Mrs. Zuarez. So I will make her a daughter-in-law instead." she said. That made me freeze for a while now.

Many friends of my parents want me to be their daughter in law but my dad doesn't believe in arranged marriage. My dad wants me to be free and not trapped in an arranged marriage and my mom doesn't want that. She said that it's better to arrange me into a rich and powerful family to secure my future and they fought because of me again. But there's only one way to get through that arrange marriage thing, the Alexander family.

But my dad knows my secret that I already want Alex to be my future husband. Alexander, one of my classmates, treats me like a princess and a woman that he only cares about. And I will confess to him soon. But mom is still having second thoughts.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Nieves but my daughter will decide that and not us, excuse us." she said and we walked away.

Okay, that's kinda rude.

I smiled. "Mom, thank you. I thought----"

"I don't want you to be a bastard wife, Catalina. Her son is not her biological son."

I thought she respected my decision and dad's.

I faked a smile and thinking happy thoughts because my eyes are already beginning to burn. We sat at the table in front of the stage in the capital. The town hall we called it the Capital sometimes because it's the capital of our town.

The program starts and now we are at the time where my father will have a speech. We clapped as soon as my father went on stage and prepared himself for a speech. I'm the one who's his audience when he practices his speech and I'm proud of him.

"Thank you everyone who came tonight and joined us to celebrate the centennial year of our Capital. Tonight is very special for me. Besides, it's the centennial year. It gives me a chance to celebrate it with the people I love the most and the people who worked so hard in the Capital. I much thank you all for coming this year." and we clapped. "For my family that I love the most, who stay by my side in my ups and downs, I love you all especially to my sweetie Andrea. Andrea thank you for giving me a true life meaning, thank you for being there with me all the time. Thank you for choosing me even though I know that I'm not worth it to have, thank you sweetie. And I thank you for giving me a two wonderful children and I hope they our not the last sweetie." that made us laugh. I turned my gaze at my mom and saw her eyes spark and mouthed to my father the "I love you" word. "I love you so much, Andrea. And for my son Aeros, Aeros you're like me when I was young, I can see myself in you. Keep up the good work young man. And lastly to my princess, when I first saw you in the hospital I told myself that you'd be the girl that is rare to find well beside your mother. When I held you, I told myself that I need to protect you at all cost because until today you're the rarest woman that the world needs to protect from any harm. Bettina Catalina Aragon Zuares my daughter, I love you-----"

"Ahhh!" Everyone stopped when my mom yelled.

Her hand is shaking while her other hand is holding her cellphone. "Ahhhh!!" she screams again.

Everyone gasped and Aeros caressing mom's back and whispering to her. I hold my mom's hands but as soon as she sees me she slaps me that makes everyone gasped.

"Don't --don't come near me! Stay the hell outta me!! Luicito help me!!" she said and stood up.

"Mom---" I stand up and try to hold her hand but she's slapping it away.

What did I do wrong?!

I looked around and people were whispering to each other and someone was recording us.

"Andrea, calm down sweetiee. Calm down." My dad is now beside my mom and trying to calm her down. My mother calmed down for a moment but as soon she saw me she started screaming again.

"Aeros, send your sister home." my father said.

Aeros nodded and he suddenly walked towards me, he held my wrist but something glued my feet on the ground. "Catalina lets go!" my brother yelled at me.

"M--mom." but my focus is on my mom.

My brother pulled me very hard and made me walk as he wanted me to walk. I can't breathe easily and my mom slaps me for the first time. I saw how disgusting she looked at me like I'm not her daughter anymore. Like I did something wrong to her. But what is it?

I can't remember disobeying her orders! I can't remember that I did something wrong this past few weeks after that short skirt accident. I can't tell or think what I did wrong.

I saw myself in my brother's car and driving home.

"Aeros why did mom slap me? Did I do something wrong?" I cracked and started crying.

"Don't cry.You're staying in the city starting tonight."